Rajbanshi language (Nepal)

Rajbanshi (also called Tajpuria) is a Bengali-Assamese language spoken in Nepal. It is related to but is distinct from the Rangpuri/Kamta language in Bangladesh and India, which is also known by the alternative name "Rajbanshi". Rajbanshi and Kamta, along with two other languages, form the KRDS lect cluster.

Phonology

This section is based on .

Consonants

• can often be heard as post-alveolar , when following back vowels.
• and can have allophones of and .
• can have allophones of .
• can also be realised as .
• can also have an allophone of [].
• can be realised as voiceless or voiced in word-initial positions.
• can be heard as alveolar before an alveolar consonant, and as a retroflex when preceding a retroflex consonant.
• A word-final may tend to be voiceless .
• Central approximants occur, but are deemed allophones of .

Vowels

In addition to these vowels, Rangpuri has the following diphthongs: .

• Vowels can have shortened allophones of .
• can also be articulated more central as .
• may also be heard as in free variation.

Morphology

One notable characteristic of Rājbanshi is the double agreement found regularly in verbs. Having this pattern also means that Rājbanshi, along with regional Indo-Aryan languages of Southern Nepal-Bihar-Jharkhand where multiple agreement is attested such as in Maithili, Kurmali, Majhi, and Darai share a verbal system that is distinct from the rest of the mainstream Indo-Aryan languages.

Notes

References